1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for feeding the free end of a microfilm to a takeup reel and in one aspect to a device for winding the microfilm on a takeup reel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus of the aforesaid nature has been known. In such apparatus, the free end of a microfilm, having moved through a viewing station, is fed to a takeup reel and wound up thereon. In order to keep the microfilm coil on the takeup reel from shifting laterally in the takeup process, box-shaped shell members are provided to accommodate one half of the wound-up microfilm coil and of the takeup reel each so as to guide the windup coil between the inner walls of such shell members. Depending on the instantaneous size of the coil (or on the length of microfilm) on the takeup reel, both shell members must be swung radially to provide sufficient space for the coil being wound up on the takeup reel.
A major disadvantage of such apparatus is that the mechanism for swinging the two shell members is relatively complex. Also, the aforesaid radial swinging movement of the apparatus presents problems in that the microfilm end moved to the takeup reel has to be secured to the peripheral surface thereof.
It is the object underlying the present invention to so improve on means for feeding the free end of a microfilm to a takeup reel of the type stated above that relatively little space is needed to provide the microfilm coil wound up on the takeup reel with the lateral support.